National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Nurses earn a national median of $89,010/year vs Truck Drivers at $54,320/year. Nurses earn 39% more nationally. The gap is $34,690 per year — or $2,891 per month.
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Nurse
$89,010
national median/year
$7,418/mo • $43/hr
VS
Truck Driver
$54,320
national median/year
$4,527/mo • $26/hr
Annual salary gap
$34,690
Nurses earn 39% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $393,221.
Best states for Truck Drivers
vs Nurses
South Dakota+$-12,000
North Dakota+$-14,000
Arkansas+$-14,890
Kentucky+$-15,000
Indiana+$-16,000
Best states for Nurses
vs Truck Drivers
California+$69,150
Hawaii+$52,000
Washington+$44,000
Oregon+$41,000
New York+$39,000
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Nurses earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Nurses is $89,010 versus $54,320 for Truck Drivers — a difference of $34,690 per year or $2,891 per month.
The national median salary gap between Nurses and Truck Drivers is $34,690 per year. Nurses earn 39% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $393,221.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Nurses the highest median salary at $131,470 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, Alaska pays Truck Drivers the highest median salary at $62,320 per year.
Salary is one factor — Nurses earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Registered Nurses and Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Nurses earn approximately $43 per hour nationally and Truck Drivers earn approximately $26 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
